OMAHA, NEBRASKA -- Those that complain about Hotwire on their travel refunds needs to STOP there Bitching!! Any Adult with half a brain knows when booking any flight or motel is a "HUGE" RISK. If YOU are NOT WILLING to risk maybe losing your money, by changing your plans than do NOT pay ahead of time. Every travel agency are ALL alike. The person Bitching about there delay cause husband's medical issues has VERY RIGHT to get FULL PROOF. Some people are NOT SMART enough to weigh out ALL the problems that might happen when booking their flights a head of time. Instead they want to bitch at Hotwire instead of admitting what dumb shits they really are...Maybe Hotwire needs to send this person a Bottle to calm her down...These ridicules messages needs to be deleted. You ALL at Hotwire are running a business and a good business at that...Amen and Amen!!

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Fraud

By tracy8568 - 04/13/2014

Rating: 1/51

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA -- We just checked into a hotel in Los Angeles that we paid for through Hotwire. Hotwire billed it as a four star. What a total joke. We were told we were getting a four star, non-smoking room with free WiFi. Instead, we got a room the size of a shoebox that wreaks of smoke, WiFi which will only allow you to check your email but worst of all a room that is literally on the freeway. Even with the patio door closed and locked, the noise is unbearable and the hotel has no other rooms.

I called Hotwire and they told me that the only thing that they could do was offer us earplugs!!! Really? A four star hotel offers us ear plugs so that we can sleep through the freeway noise? To bill this hotel and this experience as a four-star one is nothing more than fraud!!! I will make sure to report Hotwire to every organization starting with the Better Business Bureau so that no one else has to deal with this experience!!! Never will I ever again give Hotwire one penny of my business. They should be ashamed of themselves.

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BEWARE - Hotwire Is Nothing But A Bait & Switch

By Don - 03/29/2014

Rating: 1/51

NEWNAN, GEORGIA -- I have an upcoming business trip to Newnan, GA and initially I searched on Hotwire for a hotel in this city. The most attractive alternative was a three star hotel for $79. I did not look at the hotel listing at that time. I did opt for their price watcher that sends an email to the customer if the price drops. I got an email form them about an hour ago in which Hotwire stated that a price drop had been detected and the three star hotel was now available for $49.

When I clicked on the link in the email Hotwire's site brought up all the hotels in Newnan, Peachtree City, Union City, Fairburn and Hartsfield Airport areas. The ONLY hotel in Newnan was a one star dump (I am very familiar with this area). Here's the rub - HOTWIRE DOESN'T HAVE A THREE STAR HOTEL IN NEWNAN THEREFORE THEY COULDN'T HAVE DETECTED A PRICE DROP. I called Hotwire's customer service and after a five minute conversation conversation asked to speak with a supervisor. Neither person was familiar with their offerings. What we have here is a classic BAIT & SWITCH to get people to look at their website and hopefully buy a more expensive room.

Oh, by the way we have a two star in Peachtree City for only $68 and a three star for $69. In other words bait and switch. Stick with Priceline or book directly but don't get ripped off by Hotwire.

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Hotwire.com Risk Management Fraud Scam

By Monica - 01/23/2014

Rating: 1/51

SAN FRANCISCO, FLORIDA -- I booked a room through Hotwire.com and paid in full. I got to the hotel and checked in. Hours later I was called by hotel management and asked to leave because Hotwire sent them a fax alleging my credit card purchase might have been fraudulent! My 83 year old grandfather and I were thrown out into a blizzard snow storm in 18 degree weather over 1,000 miles away from home. We had to have family Western Union us money to get us to another hotel because Hotwire didn't refund our money. After reading other complaints online it is clear that Hotwire kicks people out when the demand for a room is higher and prices can be increased. THIS IS CRIMINAL! I placed over 20 calls to their "risk management" department which goes straight to a voicemail and NO ONE HAS RETURNED MY CALL. I have left at least 15 messages and sent 5 emails. I want my $380 refunded. And I want them investigated. They deserve a class action lawsuit filed against them because they are greedily ripping off and embarrassing customers with allegations of potential fraud when really they are just using that as a clever ploy to resell rooms at a higher rate!

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Account Blocked For Fraud? No Flights Booked But $ Taken...

By Tanya - 01/07/2014

Rating: 1/51

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA -- While booking two airline tickets, upon finalizing my order, received error and according to them my account was deactivated for fraud?

On 1/7/14 I tried booking two round-trip tickets from Albany NY to San Juan, Puerto Rico (1/25-2/3/14). Upon completing the booking process, instead of receiving my confirmation of flights on the screen, an error message showed up saying there is a credit card issue. Immediately I checked my cc/debit card online account and long and behold, my card was charged $830.00 and $1 sales fee. I called them right away. Rep at Hotwire stated that my account has been activated for possible fraud and that it is now being handled by Risk Management dept. They gave me # and transferred and it went directly to voicemail. I tried 3 more times with Hotwire representative and each time they either hung up OS stated that you need to leave a voicemail and wait for them to call me back.

They were extremely rude and said we can't tell you anything, you need to speak to Risk Management. I called US Airlines as tickets are for their airline; they don't have me booked on the line and they did not charge my credit card for fare. It has been 3 days since all that happened and I have left about 5 voicemails to risk management and no one calls me back and Hotwire representative today again refused to do anything about my charges and to refund my money to me as there is NO ticket! According to their site, Hotwire does NOT charge credit card until booking is confirmed, but they did charge mine WITHOUT booking confirmation.

*** After flooding their VM, they have refunded the money into my account on 1/7/14. I will never do business with them.

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Hotwire Will Not Change Name on a Car Rental

By Terry - 01/03/2014

Rating: 1/51

I made a reservation paid $136.66 for car that my husband and I were to pick up in Tucson AZ. The car pick up was under my name. I sit here with a 102 temp and will not be able to make the trip. HOTWIRE REFUSES to change the name for the pick up to my HUSBAND!!! Not a stranger but the same person with the same credit card and my HUSBAND. We have now paid all the money and are being RIPPED OFF! Do not use Hotwire!! Go directly to the car companies it may cost a little more but you will not have this situation and be out over $136.00. Due to the policy that Hertz has with them they will also not help you.

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Hotwire's "Low, low" Rates a SCAM

By sam283 - 12/05/2013

Rating: 1/51

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA -- I just booked a hotel in FL for three nights. There were only four hotels at this exit, so I checked rates, then booked three nights with Hotwire for $60/night, which I thought was a good deal. Then I discovered that the "low, low rate" of $60 was actually the STANDARD rate for this hotel. Add to that, that of the four hotels, this was, by far, the most run-down, filthiest mess. I tried to resolve this with Hotwire, but they acted like robots, spouting, "All reservations are final." Really? In my world, there is always room for black and white, and as far as customer service, in my world, the customer has rights.

The bottom line? FALSE ADVERTISING. I am actually paying more for this room than I would have been willing to (actually, NO price would have been attractive). I have used Hotwire in the past with success, but this is the final time. Their "customer service" is abysmal, even downright shameful.

BEWARE of HOTWIRE!!!!! A rip off!!!!!! Went on Hotwire to book a four star hotel in our city. We are very familiar with area and knew that there were only 3 possible 4-star hotels in the downtown neighborhood that we were requesting. Hotwire booked us into a 3.5 star hotel in an inconvenient area and when we checked Expedia, their direct price for this same hotel was ten dollars cheaper than the "bargain" we got on Hotwire. Hotwire's customer service would do nothing to remedy the problem even though I pointed out that we were paying for a 4 star hotel and not getting what we paid for. She said that there was no industry standard for the number of stars.

So, we paid more and got less and the company would do nothing to make this right. NEVER AGAIN.

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Hot Rate Is Completely Inflexible, Will Not Be Using It Again

By Jessica - 11/13/2013

Rating: 1/51

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA -- I had a meeting scheduled for the morning in a city several hours away so I went through Hotwire Hot Rate for a better deal on a hotel. I've used the service once before for the same purpose, sunk several hundred dollars into it in fact, as well as to book flights, so I was coming back to use it again. I have many meetings coming up due to my line of work and was planning on being a repeat customer, using their service exclusively every time I need to stay out of town because I was impressed with the rates. However, after my meeting was canceled last minute and I was flat out refused a refund or any sort of incentive to continue being a customer, I will not go through this service again. Anything I save booking through their service is negated when I am not allowed to cancel. Saving a little money should not be contingent upon the agreement that you will actually lose an upwards of $100 if your plans wind up changing.

Additionally, there is no contingency for a hotel that is filthy/infested/unlivable, which is completely irresponsible on their part. This complete lack of flexibility tells me that they have no sense of customer loyalty and really don't care about or appreciate my business. Because of this, I will be forced to take my business to a company that does.

Just to note: the hotel itself accepts cancellations, understanding that plans can change, but because they get paid through Hotwire, I had to go through Hotwire's customer service in order to do so. Hotwire refuses to honor the policies of the hotels they work with.

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Website Hotrate False Information - Couldn't Use the Room

By Gary - 11/09/2013

Rating: 1/51

VANCOUVER -- My wife and I decided to go downtown for dinner. We don't drink and drive - so thought we'd book a last minute room. We have a small dog - so went on Hotwire - saw a hotel that is 'pet friendly'. Did not know which hotel, of course. No other info. Got the booking - then phoned the hotel to confirm they are 'pet friendly'. I was informed they have a $100 fee to bring the dog, and the dog can not be left alone in the room. Therefore defeating the purpose of going out for dinner. Called Hotwire 'customer service' - talked to a clerk, then a supervisor. I explained there was not proper or enough info on their website - would not have booked that room. I was told over and over that the Hotrate is not refundable or changeable. The fact that I booked a room based on bad info on Hotwire website, and now was out $130 with a room we can't use made no difference to them.

No offer of a credit, even. Basically - I'm out $130 because of Hotwire's misinformation, and they told me Too Bad - Bye-Bye.